Baby it's cold outside
by HouseAddict16
Summary: A storm is coming through Princeton and House is directly affected, Wilson must help him for House's life could be in danger.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

House returned to his apartment well after dark, barely making it home before the snow started falling again. The forecast had reported a storm coming in, predicted to hit during the night, making the morning commute regrettable. So far, the storm was on time. Snow made House's life harder. Walking was even more difficult and the cold just tortured him and made him more sore than usual. The walk from the car to the door was more than enough for him in this frigid weather.

He gladly unlocked the door and stepped inside, but wasn't greeted with the usually noticeable blast of heat. Removing his jacket, hat, scarf, and gloves at the door he disappeared into the bedroom. He returned wearing a half zip pullover. The apartment was cooler than usual and he was now armed with another warm layer and ready to tackle the problem. Checking the thermostat it was discovered that it was set just as he usually leaves it, at 75 degrees but it wouldn't click on. After placing a call to the building's super he made a fire in the fireplace and went on with his usual evening rituals.

After stoking the fire so it would burn through the night, he took a long hot shower before retiring to his bed. He added several blankets just in case the fire went out, or the storm brought much lower temperatures than expected. After setting the alarm for 7:30 so that he could get a head start incase the roads were bad, and taking some Vicodin he was ready for some much needed sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

At around 3:00 his leg started to ache. The Vicodin had worn off and the cold front passing through had made his scar and what was left of his thigh achy and painful. Of course it woke him up, he hadn't had a full nights sleep in how long. A timid hand reached from under the even so warm covers and gathered the bottle of pills from the night stand. He could tell that the fire had gone out, of course, and since the thermostat was broken his house was getting very cold, very quickly. After swallowing the pills he checked the alarm clock, rolled over and got some more sleep before his alarm would sound.

"Burr it's a cold one out there. That storm is still a blowin'. The roads are bad so give yourself some extra time. The current temperature is -7 degrees and is still dropping. The storm dropped about" House hit the alarm's snooze while muttering; "Yeah it's about -7 degrees in this house too." The snooze would buy him some time to get ready to brave the cold apartment and get ready for his day. The snooze in fact did buy him some time, the storm knocked out the power in his building as well as some surrounding house's which meant two things: the alarm didn't wake House up again, and House didn't wake up again until around 8. His leg woke him up again, and rolling over saw that the alarm clock was dark. "Shit." He grabbed his watch off the nightstand and it read 8:00. He was going to be late, no doubt. He got out of bed, without wearing socks and the floor froze his feet. Between his feet being cold and his leg steadily getting more and more painful as his body temperature dropped he had a rough time doing anything to get ready. He randomly grabbed some clothes; he had more in his office and in his car so he could change once he got to the hospital. After putting on a long sleeve shirt, two sweatshirts and his jacket as well as a pair of jeans and some boots he got his cane and was at the front door. Donning a ski cap, a pair of gloves and a scarf he was ready to go start his car and get to work where it was warm. On his way out he read the thermometer by the door and it did in fact read zero degrees, now that is one cold house.

Once he was outside did he realize how much damage the storm had done. It had dropped about 5 inches of fresh snow while House was asleep, five inches that was good for skiers, bad for cripples who use a cane. Of course under the snow was a sheet of ice and just to make his day even better House fell down the front steps. A soaking wet and swearing House made the longer than necessary walk to his car and just found more bad news. Once he pried open the frozen door he couldn't start his car. He tried for about 10 minutes until he was shivering from being soaked. He made the walk to his apartment again and was more careful on the stairs. The apartment was by no means warm and didn't help him at all in the regaining heat except for shielding him from the wind and snow that was waiting outside.

He mulled over his current situation in his head. "I'm cold, late, my car won't start, the heater is broken, fire's out and the electricity's out. What am I going to do?" He did the only thing he could think of. While shivering he stripped off all his wet clothing, which was pretty much everything. He gathered all the blankets he could from his house and put them on the bed. Climbing in he grabbed his cell phone while it still worked and called Wilson. With no answer he left him a message. "No heat, no electric, can't get to work, my car won't start and I'm freezing. When you get this please come over. Quickly." He only hoped that Wilson would go looking for him, for he knew that his fate would be hypothermia if Wilson didn't intervene and get him somewhere warm. His body heat would only last so long in this bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Wilson walked into Cuddy's office looking a little worried. He hadn't seen or heard from House all day and it was now 11:00, which was late even for House.

"Cuddy have you heard from House yet today?"

"No, why he's not here?"

"No he's not."

"And he didn't call you?"

"No, I'm going over to see him, make sure he's alright."

"Ok, He could just be playing hooky you know."

"Yeah, but I have a feeling that he's not this time. He at least calls me if he's going to stay home without telling you."

Wilson walked out and Cuddy made a face. She couldn't believe that he would call Wilson and not her when he stayed home; yet again she could for she is the boss and Wilson is just a friend. Wilson went to his office to gather his things before heading out. Seeing that he had a message he gave it a listen while heading towards the door. Taking the clinic entrance he and finished by the time he was at the door. Hearing House say he was freezing, and using please, and quickly all in a tone that he rarely heard, made Wilson stop off for some supplies before going to the apartment. He grabbed some heat packs and extra warm blankets as well as a flashlight and a thermometer, stethoscope and some extra Vicodin. He wasn't sure what state House would be in and he wanted to be ready for anything.

Pulling up in front of the apartment he could barely see House's tracks from the door to his car and back, including the fall on the stairs. Going as fast as he could with his arms full of supplies and trying not to fall or blow away he managed to get into the freezing apartment.

"HOUSE!" He wasn't sure where he was but he needed to find him. For all he knew he was going hypothermic and quickly.

"In here." He heard him in the bedroom. House was smart and was piled under blankets to try to stay warm with his own body heat.

"How are ya?"

"F-f-f-reakin' f-f-f-freezin' "

Wilson could barely see him under the covers but could hear him stuttering which wasn't good.

"How long have you been without heat?"

"S-s-since 3 this m-morning."

"Saw that you fell outside, that doesn't help you in the keeping warm department."

"I know."

"Here, take this thermometer, I need to know how cold you actually are."

He saw a shaky hand emerge from the piles of blankets and in handing off the thermometer Wilson could feel how cold House was. Wilson had gloves on and his hand was warm in the exchange, House's was like ice.

"You have any clothes on under there?"

"N-n-no, they all got s-s-soaked in the f-f-fall."

Wilson found some boxers and a sweatshirt so that he could be able to listen to House's chest without him being completely frozen out.

"After you hand me the thermometer here are some clothes to put on. I'll warm them in my jacket until you're ready for them."

"S-s-such a k-k-kind soul Jimmy."

When he got the thermometer back it read 93 instead of the regular 97.6 that House usually had.

"House this isn't good. We need to get going soon, you need to be re-warmed. Let me listen to your chest, make sure you aren't getting an arrhythmia or pneumonia on top of your low body temperature."

"M-m-make it quick. It's cold out there."

House allowed Wilson to listen to his chest, but gasped at the coldness of the stethoscope and the chilling air that was filling the apartment. House didn't look good, he was pale, shaking, stuttering and his temperature was dropping. His chest sounded alright, but he needed to go to the hospital before he got sicker.

"House we need to go. Where are your warm clothes?"

He pointed to a drawer in the dresser. Grabbing as many things as he could in one armful he dumped several sweatshirts, socks, jeans and whatever else he could find on the bed.

"House put these on. I'm going to start the car and get it warm for you. Here's another blanket and some heat packs courteously from the clinic. I'll be right back."

House tried his best to get dressed to brave the cold, but the shaking made it difficult and he knew he was in trouble when he started to tire after putting on the first layer.

Wilson returned and helped House pile on the layers. He took his temperature again before they left and it was still dropping, 92.

"House can you walk?"

"Haven't tried since the extravaganza outside. Leg hurts like a bitch tho."

Wilson left the room and returned with a jacket and a fresh set of warm gloves, hat, scarf, the whole deal. Getting House ready took some time but they got through it. Getting him to the car took some time as well and after about ten minutes and some dangerous moves they were in the car. House was still shaking and stuttering. The heat was cranked up to full blast and Wilson had heated seats as well. Give House another blanket he made sure House was ok and began driving.

"Now no sleeping on me House, we'll be there shortly. Let me call Cuddy and let her know to set us up a private room."

"N-n-no don't t-t-tell her."

"House, you need to be admitted before you get too cold and die."

House had closed his eyes and put his head on the door.

"House! House damn it, wake up!"

He wouldn't budge. Wilson phoned Cuddy quickly and drove as fast as he would with all this snow. He needed to get House warmed up before his heart stopped.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Wilson tried to get House to stir multiple times on his way to the hospital, but had no luck. Cuddy met him at the Emergency Room entrance with a stretcher. Wilson helped load him on the gurney and then tried to get him to move. He had to result in pressure on House's sternum to get him to move. He grunted and wiggled a little and then just laid there. They wheeled him into a private area of the Emergency Room to try to give House as much privacy as they could. Wilson told Cuddy all that happened and then they began treating him.

"The thermostat in House's apartment was broken, his fire went out and his car wouldn't start. On his way to the car he fell in the snow on the stairs which got him even colder than he was before. He was in his apartment freezing for two hours before I found him and now he's got a temperature of around 92 and he passed out in my car."

"Wilson, we will warm him up and he will be alright. Come on help me get him warm again."

After about a half an hour his temperature was starting to show some promise in increasing, he was still at 94 despite warm IV saline and heated oxygen via canula, and Wilson could finally breathe again. He was going to go get some coffee and try to relax, but he didn't want to leave House. He was going to be pissed when he found out that he was in the ER, the were waiting for a room to open up near their offices so Wilson could keep an eye on him and get some work done at the same time. Hoping that House would wake soon he decided to stay and get caught up in his charting while he was waiting. It wasn't often that he got some down time without being bothered by House, at least this time House was a bother, but he wasn't saying anything considering he was unconscious so he could actually get some work done now.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

He opened his eyes slowly and came to several conclusions all at once. He was finally warm was the big one along with his leg didn't ache or hurt like it did before. Once he knew where he was he began to take inventory of his bed. He had an IV putting fluids in, a tube in his nose for warm saline and as if that wasn't enough, a catheter to allow his fluids back out. Slightly embarrassed he discovered Wilson in his room and also figured that he didn't know what day or time it was. Gathering strength he found the bed controls and sat himself up a little. Wilson heard the bed move and woke up, charting was always boring and he was tired from his eventful morning.

"Good morning sunshine."

"Good morning yourself, what time is it?"

Checking his watch, "It's 4:30. You know where you are? How are you feeling?"

"I'm in the ER I think, I feel…well I feel warm finally. What happened?"

"You're core got to about 90 degrees and you passed out in my car. Cuddy and I got you warmed and you did the rest. How do you feel besides warm? Any pain, numbness, tingling, anything?"

"Uh, nah pain's not too bad, not like before. Nothing numb or tingly. Is this catheter really necessary?"

"We didn't know how long you were going to be out and we needed to make sure we could get rid of the fluids we put in. If you're in too much pain with it I can take it out, but if you don't move too much you should be fine until we get on our floor."

That made him sit up and groan in the little pain he had in an area he never wanted pain in.

"What do you mean our floor? I'm not being admitted."

"Yes, you are. I have to monitor you. You passed out and were well below regular temperature. You're heart and fluids needs to be monitored until you can keep your body temperature under control yourself."

House sighed; he knew he wouldn't win this battle. Wilson was right; he did need to be monitored until everything was under control. Besides, where was he going to go, his apartment was the reason he was here and with the storm, the hospital was the best place for him. He lay back down and turned on the TV, but within minutes he was back asleep. Being much colder than normal took a lot out of House and Wilson could tell. He smiled when he saw him sleeping again. He gave Cuddy a call and she came to take over while Wilson got some food. They would be on their floor again and Wilson could get back to work, providing that House could be trusted to stay in his bed like he needed.


End file.
